Mistletoe
by InvestInLove
Summary: Sappy, but still a little sad in parts. Olivia reflects on her relationship with Elliot in the past year, and they finally confront each other at the annual Christmas party...EO!


Mistletoe 

**Just a cute little fluffy Christmas fic. At the last minute since its Christmas Eve. Whoops. Actually this is based off of this song we sang in chorus at school called "All Alone Beneath The Mistletoe", but it was way cute so why not turn it into EO? It might not be too long, but I am putting a lot of work into it and trying to make it detailed.**

Olivia sat staring at the clock on her desk. Only a few hours away from the annual Christmas party, and also she didn't really want to go, anything was better than sitting around thinking about Elliot.

Over the past year, their relationship had gotten a little…complicated. In January Elliot had finally finalized the divorce with Kathy and started to act more like himself. Through February, March, and April, they just seemed to get closer. They even spent Valetine's day together, even though they both always said they thought it was just a holiday so the candy and card company's would stock up. But somehow, none of that mattered to them that year.

In May they went together to the NYPD Spring Dance, but just as friends, of course. When summer came, their relationship was stronger than ever. For a while it was like they had never been any different, like they had been that close forever, and it made both of them happy.

But somehow, once September and October came around, Elliot started to get a little distant. Olivia blew it off at first, but by November he started ignoring her all together unless he had to talk to her. She had been hoping for so long that maybe she would finally get her chance with him, but that was obviously not going to happen.

And now, there she was, sitting doing everything just to keep her mind away from Elliot, from what they had and what they could have had. From who they'd been and who they could have become.

She'd never admit it, but ever since they'd parted she'd felt empty. Like a part of her had been ripped away with Elliot, especially around the holidays. Christmas didn't seem like Christmas without someone to care for you, and the only one who had truly cared for her was Elliot, at least in her mind.

She tried to force away the tears that were threatening to come as she thought about all the memories and they fun they'd had. She wondered if he would even be at the party, but didn't have the guts to ask.

Part of her hoped he would and the other part hoped he wouldn't. She was almost tempted not to go herself, knowing already how pathetic she would feel standing alone, wondering if Elliot would be standing alone too…

She looked at the clock, seeing that it was a few minutes away from 5, and decided she would go ahead and leave. No one was paying attention and there were no cases to work on.

The party started at 7, and although she knew it wouldn't take her too long to get ready, she went on and started getting her things together. There was no way she could stand sitting in front of Elliot, avoiding his eyes, avoiding thoughts of him, any longer.

She got up and left without a word to anyone, and tried to pretend she didn't feel Elliot's eyes following her as she walked out.

When she got home, she showered and dressed. She put more effort into getting ready that night, hoping that the more put-together she looked on the outside, the better she'd feel on the inside, even though it made her feel shallow to think that way. Well at least people wouldn't think she was falling apart by her looks.

There was still almost an hour before the party started by the time she got ready, and she was too nervous to eat, so she decided to just go early. Maybe she could find someone to stand with, to at least look like she was having fun with before Elliot got there.

When she pulled up at 6:30, she was surprised how many people were already in line to get in. Unfortunately, there was no sign of anyone she knew there, including Elliot.

After going through the 10-minute line and flashing her badge at the door, she went in, even less in the party mood than she was earlier.

She looked around again once she got in, hoping to spot any of her friends. After still spotting no one, she went and sat at the bar they had set up and got a drink, and just waited.

A few minutes later, she saw Elliot walk in, looking no more happy than she was. She instantly turned around, hoping he didn't see her looking at him. She swore he had caught her eye for just a split second, but decided it was just her paranoia kicking in. The distance and the dimmed lights made it impossible for him to tell it was her. At least that was what she told herself.

After sitting there a few more minutes, trying to convince herself that Elliot hadn't spotted her, she heard a familiar voice calling her name. In a way, she wished it had been Elliot, but it was just Casey.

She turned around, faking a happy expression and got up to join Casey, who had been standing with Melinda.

They started a conversation, and Olivia tried her best to sound and and look interested, and even through in a fake laugh at the right moments. After telling herself that maybe she should just let herself relax and have fun, she looked over her shoulder to see Elliot standing alone, his eyes burning into her.

She looked away quickly. That time she knew he'd seen her look at him. Even though it had been a quick look she could tell that Elliot's expression was one of anger, sadness, or maybe even lonliness. She instantly felt bad, feeling like it was her fault he was like that, even though deep inside she knew it wasn't.

After excusing herself from Melinda and Casey, saying she had to go to the bathroom, she walked off alone, sighing. Pretending was just getting too hard. She stood in the doorway leading to the bathrooms, and rolled her eyes when she saw she was standing right under hanging mistletoe. "Figures." She muttered bitterly.

She looked out onto the floor, where some couples had started dancing. She felt more alone and pathetic than ever then, and was almost tempted to just leave, but knew that woud just lead to questions that she didn't want to answer.

Her eyes wondered to the big Christmas tree set up on one side of the room, and she saw that Elliot was standing there, once again staring at her. She almost decided to just deal with the questions and bolt, but changed her mind when Elliot started walking toward her. And what surprised her even more was that he was smiling. It had been forever since she had seen his smile, and it made her smile without even realizing she was.

He stood and faced her, looking like he was going to say something when he got in front of her. He opened his mouth, then shut it, obviously nervous. He sighed, then opened his mouth again.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly. She could barely hear him, especially since it was so loud in the room. "I don't know whats wrong with me. I've been an ass." He said, equally quiet.

"Yeah, you have." Olivia said, trying to force the smile off her face. When she failed, she knew he was relieved. He knew she forgived him, and felt it was an invitation for him to say something else.

"I hope we can be…friends again. Maybe not at first, but we can work at it. I know I've been distancing myself, but Kathy's been trying to get money out of me, and trying to get me to court. I've been angry again." He paused, and sighed when he saw her sympathetic expression. " I've just been afraid I would hurt you."

"A little late for that." After saying it, Olivia immediatley felt guilty. She didn't mean for it to come out, but it had just slipped…

"I guess I deserved that." He said.

"No, you didn't. I'm sorry." Olivia said, wishing she hadn't even opened her mouth. "But I agree with you… about the being friends thing."

Elliot smiled, instantly earing a smile from Olivia in return. Suddenly his eyes traveled above their heads, to the mistletoe.

"Just do it already!" Yelled a voice behind Elliot.

It was Casey. Neither one of them had realized she was standing back there, a long with the rest of their friends.

Elliot looked at Olivia, almost asking her permission with his eyes, before he moved in to kiss her. Once she realized what he was doing, she leaned in, almost not believing it was happening.

Nothing had ever felt good as his lips on hers, and they didn't break apart until both of them couldn't breathe.

When Olivia looked up, she was met with clapping. Elliot quickly turned around to see that everyone was clapping and smiling, including Cragen.

Olivia blushed when Elliot slipped his arm around her waste, making everyone clap even louder.

Everyone came up to talk to them at once, and they heard about 10 "Finally"'s and "About time!"'s.

Once everyone was gone, and Elliot and Olivia were alone, they suddenly had nothing to say. There was just no need for words anymore. Olivia looked up at the once hated mistletoe, and knew that after that day, she would never be alone beneath the mistletoe again.

* * *

**Ok, ok. Forget what I said about it being short. This is the longest one-shot I've ever written and it wasn't even a songfic, and its my 30th story :). I don't think I've ever written anything that just flowed like this, and I actually kinda…like it. Even though the end was pretty bad. I told all of ya'll I was still an EO shipper, and if this doesn't prove it, I don't know what would, because this is plain SAPPY! Hah. Well I hope ya'll like it. Review please!**


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